Trump’s Foreign Policy Directionless

When a successor tries to prove that he is different from his predecessor, then he takes an extra administrative burden – the burden of proving himself/herself right.

Since becoming the US president, Donald Trump has been trying hard to show the world how different he is than former President Barack Obama. That’s why Trump announced (just a day after taking oath as president) that his government would amend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Nicknamed Obamacare, the Act is a federal statute enacted by the 111th US Congress and signed into law by then President Obama on March 23, 2010.

Trump is always in a hurry. Recently, he cancelled the US-Cuba deal signed by the Obama administration without considering the current regional political landscape. Former President Obama spent the last two years of his presidency, looking to warm relations with Cuba, including a trip to the island nation in 2016. However, President Trump slammed his predecessor’s dealings with the communist regime in Cuba and charted his own course of more confrontational relations with the Raul Castro-led government. “I am cancelling the last administration’s completely one-sided deal with Cuba,” he said last week.

Even, the president refused to openly discuss the possible social, economic, political advantages or disadvantages due to this policy change. Trump defended his move only by saying that deteriorating human rights situation in the neighbouring country prompted him to make the decision. Of course, it is a victory for Trump as his main purpose was to cancel Obama’s move.

But, a country faces various problems, if its leader influences the foreign policy without considering the current geopolitical scenario. It is not possible for such a person-centric agenda to serve the country’s basic interests. Right now, the US is facing this problem.

Former President Obama tried his best to normalise America’s relation with Cuba, as the two countries shared ‘antagonist’ ties for 50 long years. The US-Cuba deal allowed people of the two countries to cross the border without any hazard. Smuggling of goods is very common between the neighbouring countries across the world. The Obama administration realised that it would be an advantage for America, if Washington legalised the movement of goods from Cuba. However, President Trump has other ideas.

Cuba is a poor country. In the past, Cubans easily crossed the Straits of Florida to reach America. They will do the same again. Legal access to the US might have stopped the illegal immigration. However, it would not be possible due to the changing circumstances. Earlier, President Trump assured his countrymen that he would stop illegal immigrants from entering America. But, he failed to realise the fact that his recent move would ultimately increase the arrival of illegal immigrants in the US. Perhaps, the president is not at all worried about this contradictory policy. It is also not possible for others to make him realise, as Trump depends only on sycophants, and not on experienced policymakers.

The American people will soon realise what is waiting for them, if the president continues to be terrible at everything. Trump doesn’t know, understand or care about one of his primary functions as president.